Encourage community service, research projects

Civic duties must not only be a chapter in the books of children but a foundation on which the future of any country rests. Schools should leave no stone unturned to make it interesting for children so that they are compelled to implement the learning in their lives. Various workshops on Independence struggle or national heroes should be conducted. Short excursion trips to heritage sites would not only make them value our esteemed culture but also preserve it. 

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Neeti Marwaha

Use stage plays

Schools can educate children in many ways. The best way to inculcate the importance of civic duties in children is to tell them about the country and patriotic values. Teach students to take care of cleanliness in school, houses and neighborhoods and those students who do a good job should be rewarded. They can be taught about civic issues through various activities and stage acts.

Niranjan Kaur

Regular activities

Civic sense is something which needs to be taught to an individual from the very beginning. Civic duties and responsibilities should now be included in the school curriculum. It should not be restricted to theoretical understanding of ethics, but also practical activities must be encouraged on a regular basis. Team assignments must be encouraged and values such as acceptance, equality and respect for everybody must be promoted to curb intolerance.

Akrita Budhiraja, Model Town

Quiz, seminars and debates 

Inculcating civic values in children should be the goal of our education system. Schools can promote civic duties as an important subject. Every month, a seminar or workshop should be organised in schools. Lectures by field experts should be introduced wherein students should be able to interact with them. Essay-writing contests and poster-making competitions should be organised. Quiz on the topic should be held for every class. Students must be encouraged to take part in community service projects such as cleanliness drives, recycling of products and conserving natural resources. Students should be motivated to write about public issues and policies to government departments and newspapers.

Cheshta Vohra, Chandigarh Road 

Workshop for parents

Schools should organise workshops and other activities at regular intervals to develop civic duties among students. Schools should hold seminars for parents about how they can educate their children. Students should be taught to respect everyone’s opinion by organising team competitions.

Pratham Singla, Dugri

Rules by Education Department

Civic duties are legally enforceable and vary with each state. Proper education must be given to students regarding their civic duties and responsibilities. They could be imparted knowledge through seminars with practical activities. Rules and regulations must be framed by the Education Department for all schools.

Manpriya Kaur

Teachers play pivotal role 

It is always easier to inculcate values and ethics at a younger age. Schools should start teaching students right from primary classes. This can be done through workshops and seminars and inviting prominent personalities for interactions. Teachers play an important role in teaching civic sense by using various aids for better understanding of students.  Children should be engaged in research projects to develop self-understanding among them. Various clubs can be formed to enhance their knowledge. 

Tanvi Gulati 

Reinforce lessons at houses

Teaching civic skills to children will involve their social and emotional development in global or communal context. Civic-mindedness could be developed through lessons, assemblies and celebrations. Parents can reinforce the school measures by engaging in activities at home that will translate into lifelong habits and responsibilities. Families should tell children to treat people with respect even in stressful situations, write letters to grandparents and relatives and read biographical chapters on historical figures. Students can be taken out for community service or to any nonprofit organisation. Free flow of communication should be allowed.

Anushka

Onus lies on teachers

School is a temple of learning for students. Teachers should always try to tell students what are their civic duties and how they should be performed. Kids should be taught to obey laws, respect the rights and opinions of others and defend the country. 

Lavanaya Sood, Dugri 

Develop love for country 

Before students are told about their civic duties, they should be encouraged to love their country. A child should be first introduced to the idea of patriotism. Talk to children about the ways in which the country is special. Make politics and good governance a part of routine conversations at home. 

Angel Arora

Lunchroom manners 

Civic duties refer to the responsibilities of citizens. School the best place for mental and emotional growth of children. Civic duties include obeying the law, serving on a jury, paying taxes and voting. Teaching students about civic duties should be part of the school timetable. School should organise seminars, drama and other activities to inculcate civic values in students. Students should be taught to follow rules in lunchroom. To make the country a better place, everyone should perform civic duties well. 

Ravleen Kaur, Model Town Extension 

Special lectures 

Civic education will include giving students knowledge about making informed decisions. Every school must include a special class on civic duties in the timetable. 

Vaishnavi Kharbanda

Imbibe patriotism 

Schools are an important phase in the life of an individual. The values of patriotism and nationalism must be imbibed in children from the very beginning. Youngester should be motivated to respect the nation, and when they do so, they will automatically start performing their civic duties. 

Rajwinder Kaur

Make curriculum changes

Everyone should take active part in the development of community. Civic education is learning about a person’s capabilities, roles and rules in society. Schools can play a vital role in educating children about the importance of civic duties. For this, they should arrange seminars on civic duties. Civic duties should be part of the school curriculum. Schools are the best place where children can learn civic duties and responsibilities.

KAMALDEEP KAUR

Talks on traffic rules

The city is increasingly witnessing growth in population and traffic. Lack of civic sense is bound to create humongous problems for residents. Habits such as throwing trash out of cars are very common and awareness should be created against them. Educational institutions can arrange talks on traffic rules, seminars, workshops or visits to traffic parks. Cleanliness and discipline are systematic things. Schools and colleges should adopt the two-bin system for the collection of garbage — biodegradable and non-biodegradable. Schools and colleges should restrict the usage of mobile phones by teachers and students as teachers are the role models for students.

DR JASDEEP KAUR

Trips to museums 

Although it is crucial to know your civic responsibilities at every point in life, it is even more important during the teenage years. Schools play an important role in teaching the students about the importance of civic duties. They should encourage the kids to volunteer as much as they can in community services in libraries and hospitals. Schools should take children to local museums to help them understand the history of their country and their roots. They should encourage the students to take civic classes so they get a theoretical knowledge on the concept of civic duties. They should encourage the students to take lectures at community councils to get a better understanding of how the system works and making suggestions for its improvement.  

Devna Munjal, Model town

Democratic values

Civic education in schools is important for the survival of our democracy. Effective civic education is the primary means for teaching and learning the democratic values. However, assessments of civic learning suggest that our educational programmes fail to achieve the desired results. Educators can work on the issue by organising seminars, workshops and talks. 

Deeksha

Platform for debate

A responsible student is a responsible citizen of a country. Schools play a vital role in making the children aware of their civic duties. A number of activities could be arranged and authorities could give the students a ground to practice and debate over these duties. Teachers should step up the challenge to influence the students. Students need to assume a position in society so that they contribute effectively to social cooperation and tolerance.

Ishneet Kaur

Setting an example

Civic education empowers us to be well-informed, active citizens and give us the opportunity to change the world. Schools should organise programmes to create awareness about civic duties. Students should keep themselves informed about the issues affecting our country. For students to perform civic duties, teachers and parents should set an example. 

Ashutosh Tiwari, Basant Avenue 

Tell students about causes and effects

Schools play a crucial role in the success of a democracy as students learn from schools. Schools can organise workshops and seminars related to social responsibility for children and teach them about the effects of their actions. Moreover, they can educate kids by signing them up for community groups. Visit to councils or town hall meetings should be organised. Teachers must encourage children to use websites for current affairs and encourage discussions. This is how schools can bring out the best in the youth of the country.

GURVIR KAUR, Basant Avenue 

Highlight the use of paying taxes

Schools can educate children about the importance of civic duties by introducing the subject in schools. Such initiatives will boost the morale of students. They should be taught about the importance of paying taxes to the government, which enhances the economic welfare of our country. The schools should teach the importance of road safety and traffic rules to the students by various co-curricular activities. 

Deepnayan Kaur 

Conduct tests

Humans are social animals and tend to live in communities and it is very important for parents and schools to teach students about the importance of communities. Civic amenities are the nervous system of any society and we must protect them and teach our kids to do the same right from the childhood. There must be special chapters in curriculum about maintenance, restoring and using the civic amenities. Kids should be told about obeying traffic rules, using water and amenities such as streetlight, dams and canals with care.  Tests should be conducted to know whether students are aware of their duties or not. They must be taught through live demonstration, seminars, and other modes of teaching about the importance and use of civic amenities.

Farzana Khan

PowerPoint presentations

Schools should necessarily educate children about civic duties and responsibilities. Kids should have proper knowledge regarding civic issues and rules and regulations to be followed as a citizen. Schools should not only tell children about their civic duties but also inculcate social ethics in them —how to keep roads, streets, parks and public places neat and clean. How someone treats his/her environment speaks a lot about a person’s personality. The best way to teach children about their civic duties is guest lectures by eminent personalities and showing them PowerPoint presentations on civic duties. Parents and schools both should update knowledge of students about civic issues on a regular basis.

Bismanpreeet Kaur, Dugri

Tie up with NGOs

Human beings are considered to be evolved than all other species, but when we don’t take care of our surroundings, we end the difference between other animals and humans. With sincere efforts, we can form a civilized and sensible society wherein everyone is treated with respect and equality. In a civilized society, civic sense must always be upright in the form of maintaining communal harmony, social ethics, cleanliness of roads, public places and respecting law on roads and streets. Academic institutes must inculcate civic sense in the curriculum — from nursery class to the university level. Schools can tie up with NGOs to enhance awareness regarding civic issues across all section of society. State and local governments should co-operate with each other and organise workshops, nukkad nataks, seminars and other methods to make citizens aware of the need for resolving civic issues and preserving the natural resources of the country. Students should be taught about proper parking of vehicles, avoiding blowing horn and driving, not throwing garbage in the open or smoking in public places. Students should be made to pledge about following rules and regulations on roads and harming any public or private property, along with taking care of the underprivileged section of the society. NCC cadets and NSS volunteers should organise rallies to spread the message among different sections of society to keep our city clean and green. Each household should put garbage in two separate dustbins, which may be given by the civic body. Students should be taught not to take various civic amenities by the local or state government for granted.

Dr Mohd Saleem Farooqui 

Develop tolerance 

Unlike other senses, civic sense is not innate, it has to be nurtured and developed — first and foremost by parents then by teachers in educational institution. Most of us believe that civic sense is just about keeping the road, street and public property clean. But this is not the case. It is deeply related with one being law abiding, having respect for fellow men and maintaining decorum in public places. In school, a child meets kids from all backgrounds and the teachers must encourage cordial relations between them. It will develop patience and tolerance in them. Children should be taught that progress is not about moving ahead all alone, progress is when all move ahead together. They should also be given lessons in universal brotherhood as it will wipe out hatred for others. A child will learn from what he sees around him. So, adults and grownups will have to change their mindset towards the civic issues, only then we can have a new generation which abides by the civic duties. 

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi 

Deliberation plays significant role 

Chil